Peace Garden Mama II

mama mondays: letters and words

This first one is courtesy of my husband. Apparently our 6-year-old came home with a piece of paper, and on said paper, a phone number…from a girl. Seems she thought he should have her number.

“But what I want to know,” Troy said, “is, Is she cute?” To which small son blushed and nodded.

Oh boy. What’s next? A little black book so he can record all the phone numbers he’s collecting?

In more weekend news, my sister wrote to share one of her pre-Christmas frustrations; namely, the question, “So, are you ready for Christmas?”

“Yes, my heart is ready,” she explained, “but no, my house…shopping…baking…are not ready.” It’s been 25 years or so since my sis and I shared the same space for any great length of time, but there are some things about which we are still very much in sync. My Facebook status update this week said virtually the same thing.

So my question is, Can we slow this train down just a little?

Actually, it was Gaudete Sunday yesterday, which means…the train is accelerating whether we want it to or not. And that’s not all bad. I think I’m having a hard time believing Christmas is coming because…well, there is absolutely NO snow on the ground, and it reached 43 degrees today in Fargo, one of the coldest cities in the country.

I did make it out to the Shanley High School choir concert tonight. It’s always a beautiful event, headed up by the talented Rebecca Raber, and definitely gets my head in the right place about the season we’re in.

A couple Fridays back Mrs. Raber asked if I could write a poem to be used in the concert. I told her I could try, with the condition that if it didn’t work, she wouldn’t be obligated to use it. I’m pleased she was able to work a couple stanzas of it into the final piece. They were read at the very end of “Silent Night,” in the candle-lit sanctuary of our church, while the choir sung “oooos.” For your Advent pleasure, I hereby present the poem in its entirety. I hope you enjoy!

Contradictory Emergence

Oh grace-filled night, oh star-lit sea Consider the sweet dichotomy That He would enter the world at night This precious babe, our Lord of light

Expectations turned upside-down A tiny cry to announce the crown His strong right arm they waited to see Instead, soft limb waved gently

A kingly mansion, dwelling of awe Evolves into a bed of straw Crowds and confetti, echoing cheers Replaced by simplicity, joy-filled tears

Quiet evening, holy solution Birth that would start a revolution The mighty lion lay down with the lamb A paradoxically thought-up plan

Gentle babe, devoid of sin Diminutive size to draw us in God knew the scandal you would bring Oh tiny leader, peace-filled king

Our Lord is a Lord of contradiction Prompt of subversive opposition Teacher of power by humility Divinity one with humanity